Japan Announces Decision to Quit IWC to Resume Commercial Whaling

December 26, 2018

Tokyo--The Japanese government said Wednesday the country will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission and resume commercial whaling in July next year.

The resumption will come after a 30-year hiatus.

"We've been unable to obtain concessions from countries that place emphasis only on preservation (of whales) and refuse to accept the need of sustainable utilization," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a statement in explaining the reason for leaving the IWC.

Observers said the Japanese government apparently found it wasteful to engage in unproductive discussions at the IWC over commercial whaling any longer. Jiji Press